Safety and Security
Keeping our campers safe is our number one priority at camp. Our goal is to be a loving environment that creates a transparent community that honors the Lord. We create this type of community with awareness and training.
We see safety and security as a multi-faceted approach that involves both our staff and our campers. We work to create a trusting and tight-knit community that is pure delight!
Staff Hiring:
Our staff go through a rigorous hiring process in order to become a Greystone employee. All staff must:
- Complete a detailed application explaining their beliefs and qualifications.
- Interview with two of our Directors.
- Provide at least two references.
- Submit information for a background check and nationwide criminal and sex offender search.
Staff Training:
Prior to the summer, our Directors and staff complete a Sexual Abuse Awareness Training through MinistrySafe, an industry leader in educating staff on abuse risk management and prevention. Once at camp, staff then participate in a week-long Orientation where they hear from a certified mental health counselor and a pediatrician about child development and age-appropriate behaviors for each camper group. A lawyer then educates staff on North Carolina’s mandatory reporting of child abuse policies and explains what are appropriate and inappropriate discussion topics with minors.
Staff also receive training on many other aspects of camp, some of which include:
- How to provide a safe environment in the day to day life of camp
- Never being alone with a camper (the “rule of 3”)
- Appropriate discipline to be used with campers
- Bullying and how to identify it
- Appropriate and inappropriate touch
- Risk management
- What to do in emergency situations (such as intruders, injuries, missing campers, etc.)
Camper Training:
It is not enough for our staff to be trained; we want for our campers to feel confident, loved, and cared for each summer. On Opening Day, we start each session with a camp-wide meeting to explain the type of community we want to create:
- Campers learn who to go to if they need something. We also have a comment box on our office porch where girls can leave a note anonymously, if they don’t feel comfortable talking to someone.
- We explain our “no tolerance” policy for bullying and inappropriate talk or topics. We remind girls that they cannot go into another camper’s cabin and should not take pictures of girls in the shower or while changing.
- Counselors then review Greystone’s Honor Code with their campers, as we work to be a community that is kind and loving, seeing the good in others.
The HEART of Greystone
Our goal at camp is simple: to glorify God in all that we do. In order to do this, we encourage girls to live out the HEART of Greystone:
H: Hear something, say something We do not keep secrets. If you hear something, say something - to your counselor, Group Leader, or a Director. Greystone Girls use their voices to help each other. Phillipians 2:4; Romans 12:5
E: Encourage others with your words We are a community that supports each other with our words. We do not want to hurt others or bring them down. We speak positively about others. 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Ephesians 4:29
A: Advocate for yourself and others If you need help, speak up and tell someone. If you see something wrong with a friend, tell someone or encourage that friend to speak up for herself. Camp is full of people that can help. Romans 12:5; Hebrews 12:1
R: Respect privacy and space We respect each other’s privacy when someone is showering, changing, or just needs space. We do not touch, use, or borrow our friend’s things without asking. We show love by respecting each other. Matthew 7:12; Mark 12:31
T: Treat others with kindness We see the good in others and are slow to make judgements. We do not tolerate bullying. We include others so that no one feels left out. Ephesians 4:32; Psalm 133:1
ACA Accreditation
Camp Greystone is a member of the American Camp Association and has achieved accreditation status for many years. During the last accreditation process in 2022, Greystone received a perfect 100 score.
Security
Camp Greystone is a gated community with access to our facility strictly limited and monitored. Once the campers arrive we embrace the “bubble” of camp life with a Visitor-Free policy; anyone within the gates of camp will be specifically admitted and is under the direction of one of our staff members.
There are many benefits to this arrangement, one of which is enhanced security. The tight knit community which results from this camp environment is what we call the Greystone Bubble!
We want Greystone to be a safe and secure environment, and to reach that goal, we update our systems as needed. Most recently, we hired a top-level security firm from Ohio to perform a multi-day, on-site assessment of Greystone including evaluating our facility, as well as our policies and procedures.
There are many details that go into our comprehensive security plan, including locked gates, security cameras, a security guard who patrols the campus, and much more. Rest assured that we take extraordinary precautions to protect our community. We continually improve this “unseen” aspect of the camp experience and are confident that Greystone will always provide the highest standard of safety and security for our campers.
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